Tuesday, October 08, 2013

Truckers' Protest in D.C. This Weekend to Demand Obama Impeachment

A group of politically right-oriented long-haul truckers is
attempting to organize a day of protest in Washington, D.C., wherein they
essentially bring all traffic around the nation’s capital to a grinding halt by
creating traffic jams on the “Beltway” system surrounding the city.

The only problem with the protest – scheduled for the coming
weekend of Oct. 11-13 – is that it isn’t exactly clear what the truckers are
protesting, nor is it clear what will meet their demands. It appears, though,
that they expect Congress to impeach President Obama, overturn the
congressionally approved health care reforms, and to disband the Department of
Homeland Security.

The only aspect of the planned protest that is clear is that
it is fueled by conspiracy theories regarding President Obama and fears about
an imminent economic collapse. And it is being promoted by “Patriots” and
radio-show hosts with a history of far-right agitation.

One of the would-be participants told
U.S. News and World Report that the truckers intend to inspire the masses
to force the arrest of President Obama and members of Congress.

The chief organizer of the “Truckers Ride for the
Constitution” is a former country music singer named Zeeda Andrews who created
a website and Facebook page for the campaign earlier this summer, and it has
been gradually building momentum with the help of right-wing radio hosts.

Andrews’ website details the “demands” of the truckers in a
somewhat oblique fashion, presented as a list of paranoid fears of supposed
“unconstitutional” behavior by the government. Indeed, the list of demands
begins: “Long before he was president, Barry Soetoro, aka Barack Obama, was
already plotting with others, to overturn the Constitution for the United
States.”

It then goes on to list a variety of offending actions –
including emissions regulations for trucks in California, and a lack of truck
parking (“More truck stops have went out of business because of this administration’s
economic impact,” the manifesto reads). Among the actions the truckers appear
to believe are unconstitutional are the Affordable Care Act, the National
Defense Authorization Act, and the Patriot Act, since the truckers insist the
Department of Homeland Security is an “unconstitutional” entity.

It also claims the Obama administration is violation the War
Powers Act by “exposing, and administering experimental, psychotropic, mind
altering drugs for control over soldiers during secret, clandestine operations.”

Andrews told U.S. News and World Report that among the
actions that Congress could take to prevent the “shutdown” by the truckers
would be the impeachment of President Obama. But not all of the participants
agree.

"We are not going to ask for impeachment," a
Georgia trucker named Earl Conlon, who claimed to be in charge of logistics for
the protest, told the reporter. "We are coming whether they like it or
not. We're not asking for impeachment, we're asking for the arrest of everyone
in government who has violated their oath of office." Among those he
expected to see arrested are former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Dianne
Feinstein of California.

On that program, Andrews made clear that the purpose of the
protest was to warn Americans that the government was conspiring to bring down
the nation’s economy. “They are going to crash the economy, there’s no doubt
about that,” she said. “That’s what they’re planning.”

Conlon, in the meantime, appears to be promoting the
classic Patriot-movement strategy of applying a “Citizens Grand Jury” – in
which ordinary “sovereign citizens” can convene a jury and declare federal laws
unconstitutional without court approval – to the elected officials in
Washington. He told the U.S. News and World reporter that such a jury would be
used to indict various liberal officials.

"We want these people arrested, and we're coming in
with the grand jury to do it," he said. "We are going to ask the law
enforcement to uphold their constitutional oath and make these arrests. If they
refuse to do it, by the power of the people of the United States and the
people's grand jury, they don't want to do it, we will. ... We the people will
find a way."

However, the movement is already showing signs of
fractiousness: Andrews has angrily disclaimed Conlon’s participation, warning
him on the protest’s Facebook page that he has been “advised NOT to
misrepresent himself as a spokesperson for this peaceful event.” One post
commented: “Although Earl riled up a sensational title, he stepped out of
bounds of our peaceful intent and methods. DHS would love to have a reason to
use their bullets.”

Sara Robinson has worked as an editor or columnist for several national magazines, on beats as varied as sports, travel, and the Olympics; and has contributed to over 80 computer games for EA, Lucasfilm, Disney, and many other companies. A native of California's High Sierra, she spent 20 years in Silicon Valley before moving to Vancouver, BC in 2004. She currently is pursuing an MS in Futures Studies at the University of Houston. You can reach her at srobinson@enginesofmischief.com.